City of Natchitoches...February 1, 2016 African American History Programs 2 An Evening of Art at LASHOF Feb. 16 2 City League Basket-ball Begins Feb. 6 2 LA Film Prize Expands to Natchitoches

As all of the excitement of Mardi Gras

rolls around and millions of beads are thrown

at parades across the state, Keep Natchitoches

Beautiful is getting into the spirit and asking

residents to “Throw us something mister!” On

Tuesday, February 9, Keep Natchitoches

Beautiful will hold a Mardi Gras Bead Recy-

cling Drive from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the

Natchitoches Main Street Office located at

781 Front Street.

Each year millions of beads are thrown in

parades. However, after the festivities are

over, the beads quickly lose their appeal and

often times end up in the trash and landfills.

Keep Natchitoches Beautiful is encouraging

residents to donate unused and unwanted

Mardi Gras Beads to be recycled. Collected

beads will be recycled and reused for future

parades, art projects and children’s activities.

As an incentive for residents to donate their

beads, each person that donates beads on

Tuesday, February 9th will receive a slice of

King Cake in honor of Fat Tuesday.

Mardi Gras Parades Roll February 6 Volume XVI, Issue 2

February 1, 2016

African American History Programs

2

An Evening of Art at LASHOF Feb. 16

2

City League Basket-ball Begins Feb. 6

2

LA Film Prize Expands to Natchitoches

3

NYP Wine & Dine Feb. 20

3

Robotics Competition Feb. 17

4

Inside this issue:

Laissez les bon temps

rouler! Let the good times

roll! Both the Krewe of

Wag’uns Children and Pet

Parade and the Krewe of Dio-

nysos Parade are scheduled to

roll on Saturday, February 6,

2016.

Grab the kids and your

favorite pet for the Krewe of

Wag-uns Children & Pet

Parade. The parade will

begin at 4:00 p.m. at the

Bank of Montgomery lo-

cated at 814 Washington

Street. There is a $5 entry

fee for all pet owners. Pet

owners can register their pets

to be eligible for Celebrity

Status, King Rex Rufus and

Queen Mutt A Gras. Chil-

dren may ride scooters, bicy-

cles or wagons in the parade

and must be accompanied by

an adult. The parade will

travel south from Bank of

Montgomery on Front Street

to Rue Touline and turn left

onto Rue Beauport ending on

the downtown riverbank. The

Krewe of Wag-uns Children

& Pet Parade is sponsored by

the Natchitoches Humane

Society. All funds raised will

benefit animal spay and neuter

programs in Natchitoches

Parish.

The Krewe of Dionysos

Mardi Gras Parade will roll at

6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Febru-

ary 6th. The evening parade

will feature several “super

floats” and plenty of throws

for everyone. The parade will

begin at the River South Com-

mon parking lot in East Nat-

chitoches traveling down

South Drive to Keyser Ave-

nue. The parade will continue

west along Keyser Avenue

crossing into the Natchitoches

Historic Landmark District

turning right onto Jefferson

Street continuing north along

Front and Washington Streets

and turning left onto Texas

Street. The parade will left

turn again at Second Street

and end at the intersection of

Church Street and Second

Street.

What’s New in the City City o f Natchi toches

Did you know?

Bloomin’ on the Bricks, Natchi-

toches’ spring garden festival, will be held Saturday, March

19. Vendor applications are still being accepted. Please contact the Natchitoches Main

Street Office at 318-352-

2746 for more information.

The Natchitoches Parish Li-

brary will be offering fitness

classes for patrons age 18 and older. February classes will focus on Zumba and will

be held each Wednesday from 6 - 7 p.m. Call (318)

357-3280 for more informa-

tion.

The northbound lane of Wil-

liams Avenue from St. Clair to

Keyser will be closed to traf-fic on Tuesday, Feb. 2 from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. The public is

advised to use alternate

routes where available.

The Natchitoches-

Northwestern Symphony

Orchestra will perform Thurs-day, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Magale Recital Hall. Tickets

are $10.

Celebrate the life and times

of Marie Therese Coincoin Saturday, Feb. 6 from noon

until 2:00 p.m. at the Lemee House. Event will feature live performances, refreshments

and walking tours.

Mardi Gras Bead Recycling Drive February 9

Page 2 What’s New in the City

Join FLASH and the Louisi-

ana Sports Hall of Fame and

Northwest Louisiana History

Museum for an evening of

painting, fun and wine February

16, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00

p.m. Artist Lucretia Glorioso

will guide participants through

the process of painting their

very own works of art to take

home. All supplies are in-

cluded. Sponsored by FLASH.

Wine and light refreshments

are included with the program.

Reservations are required and

space is limited. $45 registra-

tion fee, $40 for FLASH mem-

bers with valid ID card.

For more information and to

register for the event, please

contact Lucretia Glorioso at

318-481-5070.

An Evening of Art at LASHOF &

NWLA Museum February 16

African American History Month Programs In honor of African American History Month, Cane River Creole National Historical Park will be part-

nering with Asbury United Methodist Church and Cane River National Heritage Area to present a FREE

concert on Friday, February 19th at 7:00 p.m. The concert

will feature musicians from New Orleans Jazz National His-

torical Park. This marks the third consecutive year that this

concert will be held. The National Park Service will be sell-

ing CDs and related items after the performance. Asbury

United Methodist Church is located at 704 5th Street.

The concert will take place in conjunction with a FREE

two day symposium sponsored by the Cane River National

Heritage Area at the Natchitoches Events Center, located at

750 2nd Street, on February 19 & 20. “Resistance, Escape,

Community: Opposition to enslavement in North Louisiana”

explores the history of organized community resistance to

enslavement in 19th century North Louisiana and the Deep

South. The keynote address will be given by Sylviane A. Di-

ouf, historian and author of Slavery’s Exiles: The Story of the

American Maroons. For more information please visit

www.canerivernha.org or call (318) 356-5555. Deadline to

register is February 5, 2016.

Both of these events are part of the National Park Service

Centennial which is being celebrated nationwide through

2016. For more information visit www.nps.gov.

City League Basketball

Begins February 6 The Natchitoches Recreation and Parks Depart-

ment’s City League Basketball season will begin on

Saturday, February 6, 2016 and run through the end

of March. City League Basketball is open to youth

ages 5 to 14 years of age.

Games will be played on Saturdays from 10:00

a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the following locations:

MLK Recreation Center (5 - 8 year olds)

Natchitoches Central High School (9/10 and

13/14 year olds)

Natchitoches Junior High (11/12 boys and 9-12

girls)

For more information on basketball or other Rec-

reation and Parks Department programs, please call

(318) 357-3891.

All City of Natchitoches Offices

will be closed Monday, Feb. 15th

for President’s Day

Volume XVI, Issue 2 Page 3

Northwestern State University is joining the City

of Natchitoches and the Natchitoches Convention and

Visitors Bureau in sponsoring the Louisiana Film

Prize, a contest that requires filmmakers to shoot a

short narrative film in northwest Louisiana to win a

prize of $50,000. The LA Film Prize was established

five years ago to draw filmmakers to Shreveport-

Bossier, foster the creative vibe in the region, show-

case the beauty and resources of northwest Louisiana

and spur economic development through the film in-

dustry. This year, filming boundaries have been ex-

tended to include Natchitoches Parish.

“I believe our Parish will be greatly impacted by

now being included in the approved film zones,” said

Madeline DeBlieux, marketing and public relations

manager at the Natchitoches CVB. “Knowing the im-

pact it has brought to the Shreveport area and northwest Lou-

isiana, I can only imagine what it can do for Natchitoches and

the parish. This will bring endless opportunities for Natchito-

ches and I can’t wait to see filmmakers and their crews here in

Natchitoches Parish.”

Twenty finalists will be selected, who will receive $500

and an invitation to the LA Film Prize Weekend Sept. 30 - Oct.

2 where the winner will be determined. Half of the selection

will be through a panel of celebrities and film experts and half

by audience vote. Last year, 86 teams participated.

The 2016 contest began with a kick-off party at ArtSpace

in Shreveport Jan. 12 that celebrated the contest’s fifth birth-

day. Rough cuts of films are due by July 12 and announcement

of the 20 finalists will be Aug. 16.

“We hope that as the LA Film Festival grows, Northwest-

ern State will be a resource to filmmakers shooting in our par-

ish,” said Cole Gentry, NSU’s director of Marketing and

Branding.

For more information on the LA Film Prize, visit

www.lafilmprize.com.

LA Film Prize Expands to Natchitoches

NYP Wine & Dine February 20 The Natchitoches Young Professionals will host the first

annual NYP Wine & Dine event on Saturday, February 20,

2016 on the downtown riverbank in Natchitoches. The event,

taking place from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., will feature wine

tasting, food sampling and live music.

The NYP Wine & Dine combines elements of wine and

taste festivals to bring to Natchitoches a unique culinary ex-

perience like no other - a Taste of Natchitoches perfectly

paired with a dazzling array of fine wines! Participants will be

able to sample a wide assortment of wines coupled with pair-

ing suggestions provided by local restaurants including The

Landing Restaurant & Bar, Lasyone’s, Mama’s Oyster House,

Maison Louisiane Catering, and The Mariners.

The event is open to persons age 21 and older. Proper ID

will be required upon entry. Tickets are $50 per person. Ticket

cost includes access to the event, wine tasting and food sam-

pling, and a commemorative gift. Tickets are limited and must

be purchased in advance. Tickets are available online by visit-

ing www.natchitocheschamber.com/events/details/wine-dine-

taste-of-natchitoches-56154. Proceeds from the event will be

used to further the mission of the Natchitoches Young Profes-

sionals.

The Natchitoches Young Professionals is an initiative of

the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce, dedicated to

developing our community’s current and future business lead-

ers. Membership is available to anyone between the ages of 21

and 40 who lives, works, learns or plays in the greater Natchi-

toches area. Natchitoches Young Professionals is the place for

young professionals to get involved, network with peers, and

impact the community they call home. For more information,

visit www.chambernyp.com, like us on Facebook, and follow

on Twitter and Instagram (@ChamberNYP).

Upcoming Holidays & Important Dates

P.O. Box 37

700 Second Street

Natchitoches, La. 71458

City of Natchitoches

Phone: 318-352-2772

Fax: 318-357-3829

E-mail:

[email protected]

Oldest Permanent Settlement in the

Louisiana Purchase

Feb. 1 — Natchitoches Historic District

Commission Meeting, 5:00 p.m. at the

Natchitoches Arts Center

Feb. 2—Groundhog Day

Feb. 2— Planning & Zon-

ing Meeting, 5:30 p.m. at

the Natchitoches Arts Center

Feb. 4 — “Music of Courage” Natchi-

toches-Northwestern Symphony Orches-

tra Concert, 7:30 p.m. at Magale Recital

Hall on NSU Campus

Feb. 6 - 3rd Annual Life and Times of

Marie Therese “CoinCoin” Day,

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the

Lemee House

Feb. 6 - Krewe of Wag’uns

Children & Pet Parade, 4:00 p.m. Parade

rolls down Front Street and the downtown

riverbank

Feb. 6 - Krewe of Dionysos Mardi Gras

Parade, 6:00 p.m. Parade rolls through

East Natchitoches and the Natchitoches

Historic District

Feb. 8 - City Council Meeting, 5:30 p.m. at

the Natchitoches Arts Center

Feb. 9 - Mardi Gras Day

Feb. 9 - Mardi Gras Bead Recycling

Drive, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the

Natchitoches Main Street Office

Feb. 14 - Valentine’s Day

Feb. 15 - President’s Day (City

Offices Closed)

Feb. 16 - Airport Commission

Meeting, 5:00 p.m. at Natchito-

ches Regional Airport

Feb. 16 - An Evening of Art, 6:00 p.m. at

Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and North-

west Louisiana History Museum

Feb. 17 - NSU Robotics

Competition, 8:00 a.m. -

1:00 p.m. at Student

Union Ballroom on NSU

Campus

Feb. 18 - Natchitoches Historic District

Development Commission meeting, 10:00

a.m. at the Natchitoches Arts Center

Feb. 19 & 20: Resistance, Escape, Com-

munity Symposium at the Natchitoches

Events Center

Feb. 19 - African American History

Month Concert, 7:00 p.m. at Asbury

United Methodist Church

Feb. 20 - NYP Wine & Dine, 2:00 p.m. -

5:00 p.m. on the Downtown Riverbank.

Tickets $50

Feb. 22 - City Council Meeting, 5:30 p.m.

at the Natchitoches Arts Center

Middle School Robotics Competition February 17

Northwestern State University’s Depart-

ment of Engineering Technology will host their

first Robotics Competition (NSU-RC1) on Feb-

ruary 17 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the

NSU Student Union Ballroom. All middle

schools within a 100-mile radius of Natchito-

ches are invited to participate. There is no reg-

istration fee for the competition, but partici-

pants must register by Monday, February 8 by

submitting a letter of intent.

Participants will be able to test their com-

puter programming skills and compete with

other Louisiana students for prizes during a fun

environment with educational experiences,

food and social activities. The top three teams

will receive cash prizes to be used to purchase

technology for the classroom.

For a complete list of rules and regulations,

contact Dr. Jafar F. Al Sharab at

[email protected] or call (318) 357-4359. Docu-

ments can also be viewed and downloaded at

http://engrtech.nsula.edu/industry-and-

community-relations/.